Right off the bat, it gets a leg up because it stars Denzel
Washington. Probably the strongest "everyman" of
American actors, Washington manages to show something understated
but stronger in his portrayal of a Philadelphia homicide
detective who confronts a killer with ties to Satan (not Al
Gore).Drab, a little spooky, and maybe too muted at times,
"Fallen" works slowly and without fanfare. In the end,
it fails for a couple of reasons: you see it coming, no one else
captures you as a character except for Washington (John Goodman
hands in a standard Dan Connor performance and Donald Sutherland
is around to be creepy, as is his deal), and the female lead -
Embeth Davidtz - might well be a potted plant.
Still, Washington is impressive as always, direct and commanding
without making you notice. The story is tight and for a devil
film, there is surprisingly little gore. A decent rent.
Niner gives it a 6.5 to 7 out of ten, but no alcohol before, and,
frankly, it is not much of a date movie.
